The Town and Country Planning Association describes Garden Communities, also known as Garden Towns, Villages and Cities as: “A Garden City is a holistically planned new settlement that enhances the natural environment and offers high-quality affordable housing and locally accessible work in beautiful, healthy and sociable communities.”
Unlike other housing developments, a Garden Community has a strong governance structure, involving representatives from the local community, to make sure that its ideals and objectives are kept at the forefront of decision making not only during the design and build of the homes, but also once the residents have moved in.
On the 27th June 2019, North Dorchester was successfully awarded Garden Community status by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The Government has set out its vision for new Garden Communities here.
Amongst other characteristics, Garden Communities should be exemplars of large-scale new developments. They should have clear identities, be sustainable in scale, and achieve well- designed places that are designed and executed with strong local vision and engagement. By following Garden Community principles, a clear vision should be set out for the quality of the community and how this can be maintained in the long-term.
In addition to low carbon living, North Dorchester Garden Community will include affordable housing and a mix of tenures for all stages of life, attracting young working people and families as a priority whilst also meeting the needs of the elderly. This commitment will be backed up by design guidance, to complement the existing town.